Kevin Oliver

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When celebrities and rock stars pass away, we who are fans claim sadness, loss, and more as their art has been part of our lives. Today’s announcement of the passing of Chris Cornell, vocalist for Soundgarden and Audioslave, is one that hits pretty close to this music fan’s heart.

Soundgarden was the grunge-era band I saw play live the most, catching them a half dozen times in their prime including an early set in Rockafellas, a 225-capacity rock club in Columbia, SC; an unforgettable show at an underground bar in Jacksonville, Florida (The Milk Bar?) where all I could see the whole night was half of Chris and all of Kim Thayall because the crowd was so packed in, and their 1992 Lollapalooza appearance on the same bill with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, and Ministry.

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Summer is almost upon us, and with it comes the search for the ‘song of the summer’. I’ll put the new Austin Cannon remix of Zealyn’s “Summer Day” up as entry #1, not only for the appropriate title but for the fact that it is immediate and nostalgic at the same time–the beats are hypnotic and midway between chillout and an insistent club anthem, while the lyrics are yearning for someone to “take me back to that summer day.”

Originally released on Zaelyn’s debut EP Limbic System, this is the third of seven remixes being issued weekly until the full EP Limbic System: Reimaginedis out June 9th.

Stream it below via Soundcloud and bask in the bright, warm new rays of a sunny, summertime song:

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Another MerleFest done, and it was a fun, music-filled weekend as always. Managed to see quite a bit, and my ‘doodling’ tradition continues with fifteen new sketches from what I saw this year. I posted these on my Instagram as the festival was unfolding, but here I’m offering up better quality scanned versions to enjoy, along with a few notes on each artist.

Mandolin Orange: An old personal favorite, it was great to see them get a spot on the Watson Stage this year. Andrew and Emily sound so good together, and the full band lineup really expands their songs live.

Mark Bumgarner: Not a household name, this songwriter nonetheless captured a morning Hillside audience with great songs. I don’t usually draw mouths much, but his was so expressive I attempted to include it.

Megan Nash: Canadian and proud of it, her stories of life in the hinterlands of Saskatchewan were amusing if a little foreign to the MerleFest crowd. Great voice, affecting songs, and full of personality.

Darrin and Brook Aldridge: Stellar playing, great harmony singing, and solid traditional bluegrass foundation made this Creekside Stage set a pleasant early morning one.

The Stray Birds: Second time seeing (and drawing) this act at MerleFest, I love their take on Americana/roots music and they keep getting better, just like my drawings of them.

Peter Rowan: The patriarch of MerleFest these days, Peter is always a must-see at least once over the weekend, and I got to one of his sets as well as seeing him with Donna the Buffalo.

Chatham County Line: Another act I’ve seen multiple years at MerleFest, I love the authentic vibe these guys evoke even as they add new, original tunes to the bluegrass repertoire.

Locust Honey: Didn’t get to the Traditional Stage as much as I have in years past, but this group was a highlight for me there, second time I’ve seen them at MerleFest. This was one of my personal favorite doodles from this year, also.

Mipso: This act was all over the place this year, somehow I only caught one set from them, a great one at the Hillside Stage on Sunday. Another favorite doodle from this year’s crop.

Sarah Jarozs: Stately, beautiful songs from Sarah on the Watson Stage this year; she played several instruments, pictured her here with banjo.

Sierra Hull: Another lovely set, with just Hull and a bassist accompanying her.

Sam Bush Band: He’s played all 30 years, and it’s worth seeing him every year… great set from Sam and company this time around.

Avett Family: The Avett Brothers were around all four days this year with headlining sets, a Doc Watson tribute, workshops, but the only one I did a drawing for was the Sunday morning gospel set with their dad Jim Avett and sister Bonnie Rainey along with several other musicians. A wonderful way to start a Sunday, for sure.

The Steel Wheels: Discovered this band a few years back at one of my first MerleFest weekends, so glad to see them back here again with new tunes and the same great sound.

Zac Brown Band: Wasn’t prepared to enjoy this big country star’s set as much as I did, but the all-acoustic setup made it more palatable and homespun even as he sang that silly Jimmy Buffett duet without Jimmy. A good finish to a great weekend at MerleFest.

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I’ll be seeing her a couple times next weekend at MerleFest, but actually interviewed bluegrass/acoustic musician Sierra Hull recently for the Columbia Free Times in advance of an appearance this week at Newberry Opera House in South Carolina. Such an interesting, well spoken artist, and a pleasure to talk to.

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Six years ago I covered my first MerleFest for Country Standard Time, and I’ve gone back every year since. In addition to writing about the festival on the site and on social media, I have also indulged a hobby while watching the various performances–drawing pictures of the artists on stage. I’ve been told my ‘doodle’ drawing style resembles some of John Lennon’s artwork, which I consider a huge compliment. They’re not meant to be exact, just a scribbled/doodled impression while listening to the music. I’ll be back at it for MerleFest 2017, where you can find my coverage on Country Standard Time but also follow me on Twitter @kevingoliver and Instagram @kevinolivercolawriter, because I’ll post this year’s doodles there as the weekend unfolds. If you backtrack far enough on my Twitter feed you can see pieces from the last couple years, but I’ll save you the trouble and post some of my favorites below:

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Columbia, SC hip-hop artist Cole Connor dropped one of my favorite records of 2016, Soda City; this week Czar Records released a slick video for one of its tracks, “Tarzan”. Complete with Grandmaster Flash lyrical nod and a message of not forgetting who you are (But thankfully no loincloths in sight), it is another reminder of how far hip-hop in South Carolina has come.

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Camden, SC born songwriter Patrick Davis once penned songs for the University of South Carolina baseball team’s national title run, and for the football team as well, so it’s only natural he come up with something for the men’s basketball team and their improbable Final Four berth this weekend. Win or lose, Davis is celebrating the achievement in song, and it’s stirring this old Gamecock alumn’s heart.